Earplugs for 914 Driving?, Plus a fun AI cartoon Options

[Stev914]

Just returned from a very nice country drive in my 914-4. I'm putting it away for the Winter, so this was a great last drive of the year. I prefer to drive it with the top off, and it's about to get very chilly here in Michigan for late Fall and Winter. After owning it for a few months and putting about 800 miles on it, I feel like I am just starting to learn to drive it well. My motor memory has mastered the vague gearbox and the engine really purrs between 3,500 and 5,000 RPM. Tons of fun!

But... earplugs.

I prefer to wear foam earplugs when I drive it more than 10-15 minutes. I actually prefer the sound of the engine this way; I can really feel the low frequencies of the engine. Also, the 914 doesn't really create a lot of noticeable wind noise for me with the top down, even at 50mph+. But I said "noticeable." If I drive for longer than 10-15 minutes without earplugs, I can definitely feel that post-concert dullness in my ears. A simple pair of foam plugs that cut 32dB work perfectly: the same ones I use for operating power tools or going to rock concerts. I keep a little jar of them in the garage.

Anybody else use earplugs?

I've been wearing ear protection for noisy things since my college days of playing in rock bands, and then later in party and rock bands. While playing amplified music, I actually hear better with ear protection. Kind of funny: the sensation of feeling the engine behind me in the 914 is not unlike the feeling of my bass rig behind me on stage. The earplugs really make it more enjoyable... and that's to say nothing of the post-drive feeling of normal hearing when you put the car back in the garage.

Just thought I'd share. I hope you had a great drive in your 914 today!

Steve
1972 914-4

P.S. Here's a fun AI cartoon of my car.

[SirAndy]

Anybody else use earplugs?

My 914 is way too loud to *not* use ear plugs.

I can't have a conversation with my passenger or listen to music or (gasp) talk on the phone. And my ears start ringing after anything longer than 15 minutes or so, even just cruising on the freeway, let alone being on the gas on some twisty back road.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[Stev914]

Anybody else use earplugs?

My 914 is way too loud to *not* use ear plugs.

Glad it’s not just me. I fixed the original radio, but I can’t really hear it and don’t want to anyway. Driving this car—for me—is more like going for a motorcycle ride. I want to focus on the driving. Fun!

Steve

[Ishley]

A good friend of mine had a new 914 in 73. He drove it from Chicago to LA and several trips to Denver etc. with a buddy... with camping gear for nights on the road. All in he drove over 80k mile in it.

He hadn’t been in a 914 since the mid 80’s. I took him for a ride in my 72 this summer. Mine has a bursch exhaust with a slightly quieter magnaflow muffler I welded in. I don't have any sound deadening inside the engine bay but I did add a layer inside the car firewall. I also have the original firewall interior sound piece and backrest etc. My floors and doors all have sound deadening too.

His first comment was about how loud my car is compared to how he remembered his original 73 2.0. Mine is loud… and with the top on and the windows rolled up… it’s even louder inside. With the top off… it’s better for running around town.

I’m thinking this winter I might try some engine bay sound deadening and a pad to see if that helps.

[Stev914]

I took him for a ride in my 72 this summer. Mine has a bursch exhaust with a slightly quieter magnaflow muffler I welded in. I don't have any sound deadening inside the engine bay but I did add a layer inside the car firewall.

Mine is a '72 and no firewall padding, too. With earplugs, I actually like it. Long story, but I got this car instead of a motorcycle. With the targa top off, it kind of feels like a motorcycle. The earplugs do the same kind of deadening that a helmet would. And I've been paying attention--I can still hear environmental sounds (other car engines, horns, etc) just fine.

Regarding the highway, I am really surprised at how nice it is at cruising speeds. At 75 or 80 on the highway, it sits at 3,500 RPM or so and doesn't seem like it's straining or too loud. I'm really loving this car.

SR

[Eric_Ciampa]

AirPod Pros have been a game changer. On transparency, you can still hear the engine and all the driving sounds but at a reasonable level. Turn on noice canceling for even less noise. Also eliminated my need to find any radio or Bluetooth features. So I deleted it.

[windforfun]

Why should you have to wear ear protection while driving a car? Poor design I guess?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)

[windforfun]

Anybody else use earplugs?

My 914 is way too loud to *not* use ear plugs.

I can't have a conversation with my passenger or listen to music or (gasp) talk on the phone. And my ears start ringing after anything longer than 15 minutes or so, even just cruising on the freeway, let alone being on the gas on some twisty back road.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

Is that fun?

[87m491]

Just returned from a very nice country drive in my 914-4. I'm putting it away for the Winter, so this was a great last drive of the year.

But... earplugs.

But I said "noticeable." If I drive for longer than 10-15 minutes without earplugs, I can definitely feel that post-concert dullness in my ears. A simple pair of foam plugs that cut 32dB work perfectly: the same ones I use for operating power tools or going to rock concerts. I keep a little jar of them in the garage.

Anybody else wear earplugs

P.S. Here's a fun AI cartoon of my car.

Interesting question. I don't yet wear earplugs when motorcycle riding though many do. I haven't yet had my 914 on drives if more than 35 minutes, but with the heat now working may soon. That said, I have little interest in wearing earplugs when driving a street car let alone in order to enjoy the experience! If my car were that loud I'd get a different muffler and some sound deadener that was not installed in my ears. My car came with a decaying Bursch which I hope to swap for a stock like unit this weekend but I can hear my radio fine currently and carry one conversations even with the top off.

[Geezer914]

Ripped out the old heavy back pad and recovered it with perlin carpet. A thin layer of sound deading material in the engine compartment along with a 1/2" thick silver insulation pad. Deleted the radio . Love driving with the top off or windows down listening to my Triad exhaust. No ear plugs for me!

[Cairo94507]

Yeah, on my other 914's, when I was younger, I never wore ear protection - they never seemed that loud. But on this car, I have always worn ear protection. I now wear iPod pros- so does my brother. Makes the rides more enjoyable; I can still hear the engine. I have Ben's heat exchangers and a Dansk 2-in 1-out Sport muffler. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Stev914]

Why should you have to wear ear protection while driving a car? Poor design I guess?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)

Now *this* is the discussion I thought we were going to have. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

For me, the earplugs enhance the driving experience, and that's very specific to me. I've been a hearing protection freak since my early 20s. I'm the guy they make fun of for pulling out earplugs at a rock show, and my bandmates gave me a fair amount of good-natured ribbing for playing gigs with earplugs (decades later, when I see them, they all wish they would have done the same). My daily driver car is super quiet (Buick QuietTuning technology, built right here in my hometown of Lansing, MI).

I need to drive some other 914s and compare. I am thinking most of what makes me wear plugs isn't the engine noise, but rather having the windows down and targa top off. I should grab an SPL meter and check it out some time. But like I said before, the experience of driving with earplugs is very similar to playing an amplified gig with earplugs: I can hear everything better, and I don't have the post-concert dullness after a drive.

Finally, the way I use this car is for "pure driving" if you can call it that. I'm not jamming to tunes. I'm not talking on the phone or visiting with a passenger. What I love about this car is the 100% analog experience of operating the machine.

Again, that's just me. Thank to everyone for chiming in.

Steve

P.S. These are my go-to plugs. When I was playing out a lot more, I had various musician's plugs that let a more even frequency range through, but these factory-floor type plugs work nearly just as well.

[SirAndy]

Anybody else use earplugs?

My 914 is way too loud to *not* use ear plugs.
I can't have a conversation with my passenger or listen to music or (gasp) talk on the phone. And my ears start ringing after anything longer than 15 minutes or so, even just cruising on the freeway, let alone being on the gas on some twisty back road.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

Is that fun?

Yes, of course it is!
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif)

[chmillman]

Well, IMO my 'teener is a bit loud, but not uncomfortably so. Its nowhere near as loud as my '57 T-Bird, and nothing compared to the motorcycle at speed. I wear plugs on the bike if I am going to do a stretch of motorway more than a half hour or so, just more comfortable (wind noise, not engine noise). Otherwise not.

[bkrantz]

I guess with age, and with elevated expectations as cars gradually got more quiet, my 914 now seems loud. Cruising at 50 mph or so on fun driving roads is tolerable if not fun. Doing 70 on the interstate for hours not so much. I have avoided ear plugs or buds so far, but probably will try some on my next big 914 drive.

[JamesM]

When I restored my car this year I covered every interior surface of the passenger compartment including the back side of the dash and pedal board with lizard skin so panels don't transmit vibrations into sound.

So glad I did.

[Literati914]

When I restored my car this year I covered every interior surface of the passenger compartment including the back side of the dash and pedal board with lizard skin so panels don't transmit vibrations into sound.

So glad I did.

Is that confirmation that the car is not only running but is doing so noticeably quieter? I like this idea, but does it actually help in the real world? What exhaust do you have and what if any is the noticeable difference?

[emerygt350]

I have really enjoyed switching back to the stock exhaust. I have always had louder cars (the mustang is obnoxious) but in my advancing years I have found it much more relaxing to drive it on the quieter side. Not that the original exhaust is that quiet...

[87m491]

I have really enjoyed switching back to the stock exhaust. I have always had louder cars (the mustang is obnoxious) but in my advancing years I have found it much more relaxing to drive it on the quieter side. Not that the original exhaust is that quiet...

Just did a first for me and the car, 100 mile highway round trip in my 74 2.0 at 3,200 RPM most of the way with used, stock like Bischoff muffler just installed. Definitely quieter than the Bursch. No problem hearing radio or passenger.

Only non factory sound deadening was some Dyna Mat in the doors when I was doing window and handle work. .More noise annoyance from wind entry/buffeting from worn roof seals which are next on the list.

I'd guess there are a number of noise abatement measures I'd try before going ear plugs which would be a reason to move the car on in my book.

[VaccaRabite]

For the past decade or so I have been trying to make my car quieter. Padding, quieter exhaust, new fangled backpad. I can now hear all the squeaks and rattles in the cockpit that I could never hear before.

I still prefer to wear earplugs on longer drives, though I nearly have the car to a point where I don't need them. Lately I have been wearing my AXIL GS Extreme earbuds which are designed for shooting. The cancel noise above a certain decibel to keep everything hearing safe. But for years I used just foam plugs.

Zach